Meet the Team
Gail Smith
Gail Smith has a vast experience of swimming at all levels and has successfully built SwimEasy into Scotland’s largest independent Swim School over the past 12 years. Gail recognised and understood the importance of swimming from an early age and watched her two sons become top swimmers at both a Scottish and Great British level. Gail's elder son Taylor was a Scottish Junior Breaststroke Champion and just missed the qualification standard Team Scotland for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.
Taylor was active in the SwimEasy business from the outset and involved himself in a number of teaching and coordinating roles. On completing his honours degree at Edinburgh University, followed by a year travelling and working in Australia, he undertook a postgraduate degree at Edinburgh University in Physical Education. Now a full time Teacher of PE, Taylor took up a 3 year teaching post at an International School in Shanghai, China, thereafter working at the Garden International School in Kuala Lumpur, before taking up a new posting in Singapore, where continues to makes use of his vast swimming knowledge.
Gail’s younger son Lewis represented Scotland internationally for the first time at the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games in Australia, winning two silver medals. He swam for Great Britain at the European Junior Championships in 2005 and in 2006 and was British Junior record holder for a short period. Lewis was selected for the British Senior Swim Team at the European Championships in Hungary in 2006 and swam in his 400 Individual Medley specialist event. Lewis missed out narrowly on qualification for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. In March 2009 he improved his ranking in the 400 Individual Medley to number 2 in the Great Britain all time list and later that summer represented GB successfully at the World Championships in Rome and at other international events on many occasions since. Lewis qualified to represent Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India in October 2010 where he brought back a team silver medal but just missed out again for selection to Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London.
As well as running her own SwimEasy business, Gail finds time to coach competitive swimmers at Warrender Baths Club, Scotland’s leading and most successful swimming club and is currently their President. Gail is very passionate about swimming her ongoing ambition goal is to enhance further the quality of learn to swim provision in Scotland. Gail has taken every opportunity to further her knowledge of the wider aspects of swimming and has attended Olympic Games in Sydney, Athens and Beijing. To advance her professional development and understanding of the sport, Gail also attended the World Swimming Championships in Melbourne in 2007 and in Rome in 2009. She attended also the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and Delhi. In addition to attending major international swimming interests, Gail can be seen at National, District and local competitive events where she undertakes the role of either coach or team manager.
Gail’s business ambitions are very unique for a woman. She makes a living from providing swimming lessons, but re-invests any extra money back into the company to improve the service for her customers. Unlike any other learn to swim programmes available in either the private or public sector, Gail ensures that SwimEasy remains a truly local company where customers are able to speak directly to the SwimEasy staff. Her passion for the sport ensures that SwimEasy remains the Market Leader in the teaching of swimming and includes swimmers starting from as young as 4 months in her SwimBabies Programme.
Gail can often be seen at pool venues operated by SwimEasy. She does not undertake as much hands on teaching as previously but her principal involvement involves; the training of teachers; and the provision of regular staff training workshops. This guarantees good quality teaching control and ensures that progressive practices and correct teaching methods delivered by the teachers. It guarantees that the techniques of all 4 swim strokes are taught to the highest standards to all pupils.
As Managing Director of SwimEasy, Gail Smith has put in place a wide ranging team of experts to build and develop the swimming business
Philip Smith
Philip, (husband of Gail Smith - owner and Managing Director) joinedSwimEasy as a Director in April 2010 following his early retirement as a career civil servant, to provide support and assistance throughout the business.
Although working for the Scottish Government, Philip always had a healthy interest in all aspects of the swimming business, acting as Company Secretary since the company was formed in the late 1990s. He supported Gail in the business, and their 2 boys, Taylor and Lewis throughout their highly successful competitive swimming careers.
Swimming has taken them both around the world attending Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, European Championships and other major events in many countries including Australia, Greece, China, India, USA, Germany, Spain, Holland and Hungary as well as throughout Great Britain.
SwimEasy works closely with Warrender Baths Club www.swimwarrender.com, Scotland’s leading Competitive Swimming Club and one of the premier clubs in Great Britain. Philip was President of the Club over a 5 year period from 2003 -2008, during which he watched the club prosper, as it continues to do so to this day, both in and out of the water.
Jenni Holt
Jenni is a Senior Progress Advisor covering George Watson's College and various other venues across Edinburgh and Forth Valley. She is an ASA Teacher of swimming and a coach. Jenni also coaches for Warrender Baths Club where she takes two Development Squads of competitive swimmers three times per week, all of whom have come through the Forth ValleySwimEasy programme. Jenni is a talented and enthusiastic worker, she recruits local teachers and trains them in the SwimEasy way of teaching. She is an expert in multi-tasking and works both on poolside and from SwimEasy's Head Office at Swanston.
Jenni visits all pool venues operated by the company and is well placed to ensure best practice is replicated across the whole programme. She still teaches at SwimFast Stage and is responsible for teacher training and the provision of regular staff training workshops; this guarantees high standard of teaching ensuring that progressive practices and correct teaching methods are being delivered by the teachers. A strong emphasis is placed on ensuring that the techniques of all four strokes are being taught at the highest standards to the swimmers.
Gay Blott
Gay Blott has worked with SwimEasy since 2003 as a Teacher, SwimFast coach and now as a Senior Progress Advisor. She is committed to ensuring that your children enjoy the whole SwimEasy experience and loves seeing the children being nurtured through the programme from Pre-school Stage to SwimFast and on to Club. Gay also works in the office as Facilities Administrator ensuring the smooth running of all aspects of Pool Hire for SwimEasy.
As a mother of three, who is also involved in early years education as a PEEP practitioner, Gay understands the importance of swimming, not only from a safety and fitness point of view but also as a way to develop self confidence and a high sense of achievement which will stay with children throughout their lives.
Carolyn Holt
Carolyn is the Progress Advisor at Larbert High School on Sunday mornings, as well as one of our office based Customer Care Advisors. Carolyn joinedSwimEasy at just 14 years old as an Assistant Teacher, and has gone on to complete her ASA Level 1 & 2 Qualifications for Teaching Swimming.
Working both on poolside and in the office has given Carolyn a greater understanding of the lessons process and has allowed her to get to know many families who have attended SwimEasy lessons over the years.
Carolyn is currently preparing to start College with a view to gaining a place at University to study Midwifery.
Helen Holt
Helen joined Warrender Baths Club at nine years of age and became a competitive swimmer coached by SwimEasy's Managing, Gail Smith, in the formative years of her swimming career. Helen has worked with SwimEasy since 2005 as a swimming teacher and SwimFast coach, working mainly with children in the higher Stages of SwimEasy's Core Programme; Helen is also a coach for Warrender Baths Club in Forth Valley. Helen also assists in the SwimEasy office, concentrating on our SwimFast Stage ensuring swimmers, when ready, have a smooth transition to Club swimming.
Val Kiddie
Val is as a Progress Advisor at Braes High School, Forth Valley on Saturday mornings and is currently studying primary teaching at Glasgow University which she loves. Val is married with two children, both of which have learned to swim through SwimEasy. Val thinks the best thing about working for SwimEasy is seeing children progress from being frightened in the water to becoming super swimmers.
Jordan Millar
Twenty four year old Jordan has travelled from Auckland, New Zealand as part of his two year overseas experience and based himself in Edinburgh while working with SwimEasy.
Prior to arriving in Edinburgh Jordan travelled through Europe visiting 15 different countries.
Jordan’s family have run a swimming business for over 20 years. His parents and brothers have all grown up with the sport of swimming in their blood. His five years teaching experience has seen him teach all levels, from babies to adults both in New Zealand and Scotland.
Prior to teaching swimming Jordan provided IT support in the New Zealand Army.
His interests are all sports, specifically swimming, Rugby, Rugby League and travelling.
Sheree Wilson
Swimming and teaching has been a major part of both Sheree and her family's life. Sheree has been a competitive swimmer from a very young age, and at the age of 16 she decided to follow in her father's footsteps when she became a teacher at their local swimming club. From there she became qualified and began teaching with SwimEasy, she has taught with SwimEasy for many years and currently teaches SwimTots and SwimBabies on a Sunday at Donaldson’s.
Swimming and teaching has always been part of her life and will continue to be in the future.
SwimEasy Team
Left to right back row and left to right front row:
Paul, Lana, Stephanie, Irek, Ian
Andrew, Claire, Sean
SwimEasy Team
Andrew Young, Clare Petrie, Niamh Kerr, Callum Rourke, Debbie Morris, Andrew Christy, Duncan Collier
SwimEasy Team
Left to Right Back Row: Stuart & Daniel
Left to Right Middle Row: Lisa, Adele & Gemma Left to Right Front Row: Lucy, Louise & Jenny
Sunday at Donalsdons-summer term
Lyndsay and Kate
